School board approves audit, purchases and policy updates; moves into executive session for superintendent's evaluation

The school board on a series of unanimous votes approved the district's fiscal year 2025 audit, several purchases and multiple policy updates, and then voted to convene an executive session to complete the superintendent's quarterly evaluation.

Auditor (S3) told the board she had emailed copies of the audit and a summary sheet in advance and reported the auditor's opinion that the district's financial statements "are fairly presented." She told the board the district used the state-required regulatory basis of accounting, noted required internal-control and federal-program reports and said the district's federal spending exceeded $750,000 this year, triggering the major-programs report. The auditor also summarized fund balances: general fund $15,926,000 (up $3,443,000 year over year); billing fund $3,577,000 (down $277,000); child nutrition $2,629,000 (up $298,000); bond funds $10,151,000; activity fund $3,845,000; bonds outstanding $44,040,000 with estimated interest of $2,907,275. The auditor reported no prior-year or current-year findings.

Following the presentation, the board moved to approve the fiscal year 2025 audit prepared by S and B CPAs and Associates; the motion passed with the recorded votes indicating a 4-0 outcome.

On other consent and action items, the board approved a recommendation to buy three replacement buses plus one spare lift bus from Ross Transportation, and authorized a $1,131,271 furniture purchase from KI (state bid) for Central Creek Middle School. Administration explained the furniture order covers every room, including STEM classrooms, and that the district used the state bid list for the procurement.

The board also approved curricular and policy items. A presenter seeking approval on behalf of Mark Phillips asked the board to add a full-year sports-science course to the high-school catalog; the board approved offering the course subject to course selection and scheduling. The board approved updated language for the district's tobacco/smoke/vape/cannabis policy to match the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) recommended format and preserve grant eligibility. Trustees amended the district transportation/parking policy (E10) to clarify expectations for vehicles on campus, including language that could allow towing vehicles that disrupt school operations, and removed two redundant policies (JHFD and JFCC EEAB) whose language is covered by E10.

The board approved a legal services retainer agreement with Walsh, Gallegos, Kyle, Robinson (as recorded in the transcript) for legal advice and approved the superintendent's personnel recommendations as listed on the personnel schedule.

Votes at a glance • Audit: approved (motion carried 4-0; recorded votes: Lane yes; Gibbs yes; King yes; Addison yes). • New full-year sports-science high school course: approved (4-0). • Tobacco/smoke/vape/cannabis policy update (TSET format): approved (4-0). • Bus purchases (three + one lift bus from Ross Transportation): approved (4-0). • Furniture purchase for Central Creek Middle School ($1,131,271, KI state bid): approved (4-0). • Amendment to policy E10 (district transportation/parking): approved (4-0). • Removal of policies JHFD and JFCC EEAB (redundant policies): approved (4-0). • Legal services retainer: approved (4-0). • Personnel schedule (employment list): approved (4-0). • Motion to convene executive session for the superintendent's quarterly evaluation under 24 OS §307(B)(1): approved (4-0); executive session convened at 6:26 p.m.

Quotes "Your statements are fairly presented," the auditor told the board when summarizing the audit opinion. "This is the required format," an administrative presenter said when explaining the TSET-aligned policy language meant to preserve grant eligibility.

Next steps The board entered executive session to complete the superintendent's quarterly evaluation. Several items approved at the meeting (procurement orders, personnel changes and the new course offering) will proceed to implementation by district staff under usual administrative processes.